Evening public lecture. Prof. Dr. Christoph Cornelißen: The Locarno Conference. Event and memory (1925–2025)

ORGANIZER: Friedrich-Ebert-Gedenkstätte in cooperation with the City of Locarno

Cantonal Library, Via Cappuccini 12, 6600 Locarno.

From Wednesday, October 8, 6:30 pm.

Free admission.

Suitable for adults with knowledge of German.

• Friedrich Ebert Foundation website

The Locarno Conference, held in October 1925, is still considered a decisive moment in the history of international peace policy. In particular, the agreement between the main adversaries of World War I, France and Germany, to secure the peace of their borders was perceived by many as the beginning of a new era of international understanding. However, already in the course of the treaty's ratification obvious rifts emerged between the states, which once again called into question the much-vaunted "spirit of Locarno."

Prof. Dr. Christoph Cornelißen, chair of Contemporary History with a specialization in the history of Europe in the 20th century at the Goethe University in Frankfurt, explains in his lecture the protagonists and the course of the 1925 negotiations, while also taking into account the repercussions of domestic political interests and public opinion on diplomatic channels.

The lecture also casts a glance at the changes in historical research on "Locarno" in recent decades. In this context, it becomes clear how the Locarno Conference also offers key insights into the current search for a stable peace in Europe.

Friedrich-Ebert-Gedenkstätte and the City of Locarno cordially invite you to this interesting evening. After the lecture, during the aperitif you will have the opportunity to exchange views with the speaker and participants of our conference Locarno 1925. Triumph of diplomacy or illusion of peace?